Supporting You
by Nocturnal-Dayz
Summary: He had told himself that he had put the past behind him. But when a mysterious figure reappears, Sonic finds himself running to find the answers to a dark and haunting mystery he may not want to solve. Sequel to "One Single Tear" and "Broken Ring." ON HIATUS.
1. Initiative

_Author's note thingy: As this is a sequel, be sure to read BOTH "One Single Tear" AND "Broken Ring" before reading this one, otherwise nothing will make sense. Just a heads up. _=)

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"**Supporting You"**

**Chapter One: Initiative**

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A soldier was running swiftly through brightly lit metallic halls, already short of breath. He swerved between various workers and in and out of the doors, making his way to the elevator that was at the back of the floor. Many people stared after him, wondering what could be so urgent before carrying on with their own jobs. He accidently knocked down what appeared to be a scientist, quickly apologizing before running off again. When he reached the elevator he furiously pressed the second basement floor button, nearly jamming his own finger. He impatiently waited and nearly threw himself into the elevator when it arrived and ignored the looks from the people walking out of it.

He leaned against the back wall as it began its decent, removing his dark goggles and wiping his sweaty brow with his gloved hand. This was the first time in a mere week that they had received news as urgent as this. Even though he rarely had to, he never really liked running halfway across the Intel Headquarters to deliver news to his superiors. He wished that they would just send the message electronically, but ever since the incident a few years ago it was deemed "safer" to deliver important news personally. At least being one of the first to hear about something big had its thrills.

The elevator opened and he swiftly walked out of it and into a more dimly lit hallway. The walls and floor were covered with emblems containing GUN in their centers every few feet. After passing a few doors and rooms with thick glass walls he entered a room on the left, glad that the guards let him through without question. The room was filled with large glowing computers and monitors with people manning each station. But more importantly it had the man he was looking for, accompanied by a woman and staring up at the largest screen in the center of the room that displayed a map of a far-off region. He stopped behind the tall white-haired man and saluted.

"Commander!" He said breathlessly.

The man turned around as did the woman standing next to him. He stared down at him with fierce blue and brown eyes, raising an eyebrow at the panting soldier. The soldier felt his voice get caught in his throat, though he wasn't sure what it was. Something about The Commander's intimidating presence always made him hesitant with his words, whether it was the fact that he was speaking with the most superior of superiors, or the various lines on his face that showed that he had seen and dealt with more things than he had in his lifetime.

"What is it, Private?" He asked calmly.

The soldier drew in a deep breath. "I have more urgent news regarding Operation: Black Temple, sir."

Several interested people within the room turned their heads toward him. The Commander's eyes narrowed.

"What's the situation?"

"Our squads managed to push the enemy back into the Temple, but they immediately retaliated by sending out a large amount of the flying creatures. They attacked, and most of our squads were wiped out completely. The few that remained retreated back to the desert base safely. Our scouts have reported that the creatures were seen flying toward the mountains. Also, there has been another attack in the northern sector of Station Square, but no one has been able to gather evidence of who the perpetrator is."

The Commander held his head in his hand, taking all of the information in. He rubbed his temple with a frown.

"Any casualties?"

"Three have been reported so far, and several dozen wounded."

The Commander blew out a sigh and stood rather still for several moments. Everyone within the room grew uneasy and waited for him to speak again.

"Is that that all?"

"Yes sir." The soldier replied, unrelieved.

The Commander shook his head and looked back up at the large screen in front of him muttering, "I can't believe this… Damn those monsters…" He gazed over the map as though thinking of the next course of action. Everyone stood silently as the bad news filled their minds and the feeling of unrest grew stronger by the second. The soldier stood still nervously, waiting for his next orders.

The Commander began to pace back and forth, his head tilted toward the ground. He continued the same way for a few minutes before looking at the woman with shoulder-length light brown hair next to him. She returned his gaze and straightened her posture.

"Go get Diego." He said sternly and at once she obeyed and left the area and down the hall to the left. The Commander moved to the right side of the room and examined one of the screens that showed another map of a different location than the main one. The soldier stared after her for a moment before turning to an analyst sitting at his station on his left, typing furiously on his keyboard.

"What's going on out there?" He asked.

"Black Arms, that's what." The analyst replied.

The soldier's eyes widened. "That's what those creatures have been?!"

"Yep. They're everywhere these days. They've been causing trouble for the last few months now."

"But I thought that Shadow guy destroyed the comet they were coming from!"

"He did. Even though he destroyed their source, many of the aliens were still left behind on the surface of the planet. They all retreated to the shadows after the death of their leader, hiding from the world. There have been rare sightings since then, but it hasn't been until now that they started causing trouble." The analyst stopped typing and spun around on his chair to face the soldier. "And as if they weren't enough bad news, now we've got something running around destroying towns on the loose. Both of these problems are starting to drain our resources and we're losing control. The world's falling into a panic." The analyst sighed heavily. "Where's Sonic the Hedgehog when you need him…"

"No kidding…" The analyst to his left agreed, turning to him. "But he hasn't been seen in over a year. I've heard that something terrible happened to him, but no one really knows for sure. It makes me wonder if he's completely forgotten about this part of the world. We could sure use his help right about now, along with his other friends. Now that I think about it, Shadow hasn't been seen in a while either. It's as if they vanished from this place…"

"Yeah, but that's not what really bothers me about this whole thing." The first analyst said, turning back to his computer. "What I don't understand is why the Black Arms are choosing to strike now. For a long time they haven't done a thing, but since that Temple was opened they've been all over the place. It's as if they were just waiting to be awakened by something at the Temple before they attacked. But I agree with you; we could really use their help right now."

"Perhaps it's a good thing that they're not around this time." The Commander's voice suddenly said. Several people turned toward him with frowns and confused looks on their faces. Those closest stopped what they were doing completely to hear what he had to say.

"As grim as the situation is, I think that this is the moment that we have been waiting for. For years we have struggled against various enemies, from Dr. Robotnik all the way to the Black Arms. Sonic the Hedgehog and his friends have saved the world more times than anyone can count, and as a result time and time again they have helped us out of the darkest of days, even when the world itself was splitting apart and seemed to be ending."

He paused for a moment and turned to the large screen with the map of the world. Everyone remained watchfully silent.

"Their deeds are great, make no mistake." He continued with a lower voice. "But we cannot depend on them forever. We are the Guardian Units of Nations. It's high time we prove to the world that we are worthy of that title. For too long we have sat idly by while our heroes take care of our problems for us. For too long have we have been seen as merely an annoyance to our enemies and not a force to be beckoned with." His eyes narrowed and his voice lowered further, holding his head low as if he were ashamed. "For too long we have failed to protect the people from harm. It's time that we return the favor to the world, and ourselves. If we don't take the initiative now to stop them once and for all, we will fail again, and we might as well disband our organization and everything it stands for."

He turned around and looked at everyone in the room, noticing the increase in the audience by the entrance of the room. He then raised a fist and his eyes became alight with the fires of determination. "I don't know about any of you, but I outright REFUSE to let that happen! I will not rest until the world has been cleansed of this scourge for generations to come! Just as the sun sets and darkness falls, so will there be dawn again. The people will someday walk the streets without fear or anxiety. This world will see the days of peace again, so long as GUN still stands!"

The Commander stood up tall, taller than ever before in all his years. A few cheers erupted from the crowd along with nods and clapping. A small smirk tugged at his mouth as the air had finally changed from a dreadful and defeated mood to a more confident and triumphant one. He looked at the doorway to see the woman return with a man following closely behind her. He was almost as tall as The Commander and had long jet-black hair wrapped in a ponytail and he wore a pair of thick dark sunglasses over his thin face. Even though he wore the same uniform as the other officers, his still appeared to be a darker shade than normal. He and the woman approached and stopped in front of him as people began to leave the room that had other business to attend to.

"You called, sir?" He asked.

"Diego, you need to personally head back to the Temple and increase your forces around the parameter."

The young captain looked taken aback. "With all due respect sir, but I don't think that it's possible at this point. We've already lost many men from guarding the place and the base is quickly running out of resources. At this rate we won't last any longer than another week."

"I realize that…" The Commander said. He faced away from him, moving toward the large map screen and looking at the landmass to the east. "But we cannot let whatever is in that Temple escape. Reports say that the Black Arms that we've seen coming from it thus far are merely grunts, and that a much larger, much more powerful creature lies within. We won't risk another expedition into the Temple since our forces are down. Until then, tell your men to guard the parameter, but do not under any circumstances enter the Temple. Nothing leaves or enters it. Deploy the Big Foot and Flying Dog squads should the need arise. Understood?"

Diego stood silently for a moment before saying, "Yes sir. Shall I leave immediately?"

"Only if you are ready. I don't want one of my top soldiers to fall in battle for pushing himself too hard. But you must leave by tomorrow at the latest. I will want reports on the state of our soldiers and supplies when you arrive there so we can plan our next move accordingly."

"Yes sir."

"Dismissed."

Diego turned on his heel and left the room at a quick pace. The Commander then faced the woman, who quickly stood at attention.

"Topaz, I want you and your scouts to follow the Black Arms that went to the mountains. Since the aliens were seen heading in that direction, there must be something of great importance to be found there. Find out what it is they're doing, but keep to the shadows. Once we know what their motives are, we will be able to stop them before they achieve their goal. And while you're at it, see if you can find out who or what this other nuisance is. The Black Arms are our first priority, but if this other threat continues to persist, it'll make everything more difficult."

"Yes sir." The woman said with a nod. "Should I call for _her_ help again? She would be of much use to us if she were to assist."

The Commander looked to the side and held his chin in thought. These words were true, but he was ever mindful of the past.

"No. If her recent endeavors have shown us anything, she can no longer be fully trusted by us. She may have once been a powerful ally, but her little hobby has poisoned her mind and affected her work. This mission is of too much importance to set it in her hands."

Topaz lowered her head, almost as if she were disappointed. "I…understand."

"You may go. But I will want reports from you as well. If you discover anything, let intelligence know."

"Yes sir."

She silently left room, heading down the hall on the right. The soldier watched her as she left, noticing the letdown look on her face. The Commander then gave the soldier leave and he headed back toward his post at Intel Headquarters. He then checked with each of the hardworking analysts, slowly moving between them for any news or updates they had to share. His eyes repeatedly went to the various maps on the different screens, always watchful of the beacons that represented their forces.

For the next hour the room remained relatively calm and quiet, with scientists, officers or other analysts appearing in and out of the room. The Commander was ready to leave to inspect other areas of the Headquarters, but just as he was about to one of the analysts by the smaller screen to the right called for his attention. Hoping she wasn't about to relay more bad news, he somewhat reluctantly made his way over to her terminal. She had a local area map displayed on her screen of their base in the desert.

"What is it?" He said.

"Our satellites have picked up an unidentified personal on the outskirts of the base, spotted around this location…"

She pointed to an area on the west side of the base. She pressed a key and the map zoomed in closer with an infrared view of the area. There, represented as a bright white dot, stood someone, or something. It remained perfectly still as if watching or waiting. However, after several minutes the dot began to move west and toward the direction of the cities. The dot then vanished from the map and was no longer within range. The Commander frowned and stared at the map, hoping for the sakes of countless lives that the situation wasn't about to become more complicated than it already has.


	2. Bittersweet Homecoming

**Chapter Two: Bittersweet Homecoming**

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The first snowfall of the season had finally arrived. The low, thick clouds hovered over the small community below with a blanket of snow, lightly falling and drifting as the flakes made their way to the tops of houses, cars and the leaves of trees. The moon tried its hardest to shine through the storm but only served to illuminate the clouds as they completely covered the night sky. The air blew very lightly but still managed to cause chills to the various animals and people who were wandering around outside.

Even with the rumors and news that had reached the ears of the community almost every day for the past few months, life in Emerald Town still remained very peaceful. The citizens walked along the streets without fear or uncertainty, confident that no such harm would ever befall the town. A few could be seen going for pleasant night walks, children were having snowball fights, couples were enjoying their time together, and people were happy. However, since the snow storm arrived rather unexpectedly, not everyone was fully enjoying themselves.

A short, grumpy man was shoveling snow at the front of his home, grunting and groaning with every scoop he added to the increasing piles he had formed beside the driveway. It was easy to see that he didn't like winter and all things associated with the season, but he still accepted it and waited for possible sunshine the next day. He had nearly cleared his driveway and the sidewalk in front of him of several inches worth of snow. He dreaded the thought of having to return tomorrow to shovel more, but he was still happy that he managed to achieve tonight's goal. With one last scoop thrown onto his biggest pile, he stuck his shovel in it and blew out a visible satisfied sigh. He adjusted his cap and coat, brushing off the flakes on his shoulders and pants. He then looked over his work, annoyed that already a layer had accumulated on the driveway.

Something then caught the man's ears to his right and down the street. He could hear a strong wind in the distance, but it was unlike the wind that blew around him and somehow sounded…unnatural. He stared down the street, his eyes narrowing and trying to find the source of the wind. He then saw it; a huge swirling cloud rushing toward him…and fast. His eyes widened, and they hardly had time to notice that there was something in the center of the whirlwind as it blasted past him and down the street, blowing the piles of snow all over the man and his property. The whirlwind vanished quickly, leaving behind a dusty trail and the snow covered man startled and baffled as to what had just happened. He brushed the snow off of his face and stared after the whirlwind curiously. But that curiosity quickly turned to rage as he gazed around and saw the snow he worked so hard to shovel was now all over the place. His eye twitched, he bit his lip, his fists trembled, and he bared his teeth.

"DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT! DAMMIT!" He shouted, jumping up and down and throwing his fists to his sides like a spoiled child.

The whirlwind soared down the street, zipping by surprised pedestrians and dodging the few vehicles that were out and about. Snow blew several feet into the air on both sides of it like waves in the ocean. The whirlwind then took to the air as it flew to a tall leafless tree, catching a branch and spinning around it a few times before flying through the air again and onto the roof of a nearby house. The whirlwind then became a blur as it bounced upon rows of houses, knocking snow onto the ground and awakening those within from their slumbers. When it ran out of houses it descended to the ground and sped off, blasting past and between street signs and swinging on light posts before it sailed down the road that led into the neighboring district.

The blur entered the much livelier Central City, quickly adjusting to the increase in traffic and pedestrians. It flew through small crowds of people, frightening them and accidentally knocking down a few. The blur then leapt onto a nearby crane and up its metallic arm toward the wall of a skyscraper. Without losing momentum the blur flew up the side of the building, leaving the people below staring up in awe and wonder. It flew higher and higher over lighted windows as it defied gravity until it reached the top. It then soared into the cold night air and the blur slowed down as gravity finally got the upper hold. The blur formed a figure as it spun and flipped in the air before landing cleanly onto the roof with a soft thud, kicking the dusty snow back into the air.

The figure stood up slowly and raised its head, revealing a blue-toned hedgehog with bright green eyes and an even brighter smile. He looked up toward the dark gray sky and blew out a puff of air, watching the snow drift to the ground. He dusted the snow off of himself and shook the snow off of the open red sleeveless jacket he wore, taking care to get the stray flakes that had wondered into the white furry collar of his jacket as well. He flicked his jacket and stretched it forward, making sure that the spines on his back were entirely through the makeshift slits in the back. He then crouched down and stretched his legs and arms before adjusting his white gloves and the glowing crystal ring on his right wrist. After his body was nice and loosened up he approached the edge of the roof and stared down at the city below.

Sonic the Hedgehog watched the small specks below move slowly in and out of the stores and down the sidewalks, enjoying the night as much as he was. Even though it had been quite a while since he had last visited this city, he could still remember its sights and sounds clearly and was pleased that it hadn't changed in the slightest. Old memories of a particular robot began to flood his mind and the adventures with him still brought a smile to his face, despite how that adventure ended. Though he wanted to take off running again, a part of him wanted to walk along the streets where all the people were. He moved over to the side on the left away from the streets and stood on the very edge. He slowly leaned forward with his arms spread out and then fell down the side of the skyscraper.

He kicked his feet forward and whirled them in the air as they connected to the wall. He let gravity do most of the work and let his feet move more like natural wheels as he fell. The skyscraper wasn't as tall as he thought and the ground was quickly approaching. Without skipping a beat Sonic kicked the wall and flipped toward the opposite building, landing on its wall before jumping back to the skyscraper. He did this repeatedly between the two buildings until he reached the ground and landed smoothly. He stood up and walked casually to the active street nearby.

He wasn't surprised by the stares he received as he strolled down the street and took in the sights. A few stopped and whispered among themselves, pointing at the hedgehog. He caught a few amazed gasps and words such as, "Is that who I think it is?" and "Whoa, he's really here!" and "We're saved!" He smirked at them and couldn't help but quicken his pace to more of a jog, his smile widening as he gained more and more people's attention. He rounded a corner and down the street, eventually stopping as a large building to his left caught his eye. He stared in awe at the amount of neon lights that littered the entire plaza. By the looks of it, it was a popular club as there were crowds of people entering the glass front doors and he could hear pulsing music all the way from where he was. It reminded him very much of Rouge the Bat's old club and wonder if it was the same place.

Sonic took a step to continue down the street, but as he did so something cold and hard hit him in the back of the head. Startled, he reached a hand back and pulled out a hand full of snow from his spines. He quickly turned around, searching for the culprit who was just asking for a heated snowball fight. It didn't take him long to spot someone hiding behind a nearby car and frowned as he caught a glimpse of something pink…

Sonic leaned forward and stared at the car, hoping that he wasn't looking at who he thought he was. After waiting nearly a minute the figure finally emerged from behind the car, revealing a girl and confirming his suspicions.

"Amy…?" He said haphazardly.

A bright smile stretched across the girl's face. It really was none other than Amy Rose.

"SONIC!" She squealed and dashed at Sonic faster than he had ever seen her move, nearly tackling him and squeezed him tightly. "It's you! It's really, really, really you!"

"Ack! Amy…" Sonic gasped.

"I've missed you sooooooooooooo much!"

"Amy…"

"I never thought I'd see you again, but now you're here!"

"Amy…ugh…"

"Oh, it's really you this time, Sonic!"

"AMY!" Sonic choked. "Can't breathe…"

The girl released him reluctantly but continued to stare at the hedgehog with sparkling green eyes. Sonic massaged his neck and shoulders and took deep breaths, trying to recover from her bone crushing hug.

"Oof…nice to see you too…" Sonic muttered. "I think I would have preferred a simple 'hi' though…"

Amy giggled. "A simple 'hi' is never good enough for you!"

"No kidding…"

Amy began to look Sonic up and down admiringly, the smile never leaving her face.

"Wow, look at you! You've grown a bit; all tall, strong and even _more_ handsome now!"

Sonic took a few steps back, hoping that Amy wasn't about to pounce on him again. After putting enough distance between him and her in case he needed to dash off again, he was able to finally get a good look at his old friend. By all outward appearances she seemed to have matured quite a bit since the last time he saw her. Instead of the usual red dress she now wore a light blue overcoat with white furry cuffs and collar and white pants, though she still wore her heeled red boots, gold bracelets and red head band. But more than anything, she had grown physically; her hair was longer though still relatively short, she was a bit taller and her body made her look a bit older. But as the cramp in his neck told him she hadn't abandoned her old ways.

Sonic blinked, realizing that he had been staring just as she had. "Huh…you've grown a little yourself…" He sighed. "But you're still the same Amy I remember…"

Amy huffed. "You say that like it's a bad thing." She closed the distance between the two, making Sonic wish he had ran off already. "Hmm, I really like your jacket! Where'd you get it?"

Sonic was certain she would have said the same thing about anything he wore, but decided to answer nonetheless.

"A tailor made it for me in Spagonia. Man, what a place! I could run through that city for days before I get bored. Can't remember why he made for me though, and I usually don't like wearing clothes, but…it's kinda grown on me!"

"And the bracelet?"

"What, this?" Sonic raised his right hand, the soft glow from the ring lighting up his hand. "Oh, I've had this thing forever. I got it in Station Square, remember? It came in a lot more useful than I thought it would. Storing energy is a lot faster with this!"

"Station Square…I remember…" Amy said softly as if she were slowly falling in a dream. "That's when I finally found you after you rescued me…" She sighed while eying Sonic lovingly. "Good times…"

"Right…good times…" Sonic muttered nervously.

Amy's smile then slowly faded and the look in her eyes became full of worry. Sonic stared, curious of this sudden change of emotion in her.

"What?"

Amy looked off to the side as if something were bothering her.

"Well…things could be better these days…"

"What do you mean?" Sonic asked, starting to feel nervous at these words he never would have expected to hear from Amy.

"Haven't you heard about all the terrible things that have been happening?"

"What things?"

Amy began walking down the busy street and Sonic followed her. She took a breath and told him about what had happened since he left one year and twenty-three days ago (unsurprisingly she had been keeping track). She told him about the Black Arms that had reappeared across the world, the recent attacks on the towns and cities, G.U.N.'s mission out in the desert, and the anxiety and fear the people now felt, hoping for a hero to sort everything out. Sonic listened intently and silently, taking in everything as she spoke. When she finished she stopped and turned to Sonic.

"Everyone's starting to get worried, Sonic. Some have been wondering when you would come back while others have been losing hope. What are you going to do?"

Sonic gazed around at the buildings surrounding them, looking at how the people appeared to be happy and enjoying themselves, and yet there was an air of uncertainty about them all. If the people were truly afraid as Amy said, they were doing a good job at hiding it.

"Figures…" He muttered.

Amy stared at him. "Huh?"

Sonic smiled. "It's always when I leave that all the exciting stuff happens! To think that I've been missing out on all this action in the last year! How crazy!" Sonic's smile then faded and he glared at Amy. "Though I find it funny how you asked if I was going to do something about it. You make it sound like it's all _my_ responsibility…"

Amy's eyes widened as if she couldn't believe what she just heard.

"I know I've saved and helped people in the past, but that doesn't mean I'm the one who has to take care of everything." Sonic continued, his tone growing stern. "There's police everywhere and G.U.N. soldiers out and about, why can't they take care of it? It's their problems, not mine. They should take care of them, not me! Besides, I've gotten tired of helping people who don't help me. I'd rather not bother with something unless I get something back. So if don't mind, I think I'll sit this one out, thanks."

Sonic folded his arms and stared at Amy with narrowed eyes, waiting for her reply. She stared back flabbergasted with her mouth hanging open in disbelief. She muttered a few inaudible words and made a few other strange sounds. She stood still and strangely quiet for several long minutes and Sonic continued to wait for her to speak, though his foot had now begun tapping impatiently. She eventually decided to break her silence.

"Wh – you… H – how could you say such a thing! I can't…I can't believe you!"

Sonic raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Amy then spun around and threw her hands in the air and proceeded to shout various things at Sonic. She ranted about how he had changed for the worst, how he is supposed to be a hero and many people looked up to him, how she and their friends always believed in him and various other things as she described her disbelief. Sonic watched silently with lowered eyelids, listening to very little of what she said. He expected her to run out of steam soon, but he had forgotten how persistent she was when it came to demanding answers. He lowered his head and looked at the snow on the ground as she paced back and forth, drawing more and more attention to the two of them. He dug the tip of his red shoe into the snow, seeing how compact it really was. He blinked, and he looked at the flustered Amy, then back at the snow, and then back at Amy again. A mischievous smile then slowly grew across his face as an idea came to mind.

Amy faced away from him and he seized his chance. He crouched down and started scooping up handfuls of snow. He picked up the snow and pressed it into the shape of a ball, sculpting it to an appropriate size to what he was about to do. She continued to face the other way, still shouting, and his smile grew. He took a step back, held up the snowball, took careful aim, and then flung it at the girl.

The snowball exploded on the back of her head and she ceased her ranting immediately. She stumbled forward slightly and reached for the back of her head, slowly turning around to face Sonic. The blue hedgehog burst out laughing, pointing at her and the surprisingly humorous look of anger and shock on her face. He clutched his chest in his laughing fit, failing to notice that Amy's face had turned a furious shade of red. She slowly pulled out her Piko Piko hammer, took a few steps forward and leapt high into the air, swinging the hammer down. Sonic caught his breath just in time to gasp and quickly dodge Amy's heavy blow as her hammer smashed the ground, sending snow flying up in the air and shaking the ground. She let out a war cry as she swung at Sonic again, only to miss by mere inches. Even though she was fast in her own right, she couldn't for the life of her land a blow on the hedgehog as she swung again and again, only to meet nothing but air as he easily dashed out of the way of her strikes. She swung a downward strike at him and Sonic leapt high into the air, flipping backward onto the roof of a nearby car. He stood up with a smile still glued on his face, watching the pink girl huff and puff as she eyed him with pure loathing. Sonic then tucked one leg behind the other, set a hand on his hip and waved a single finger at her.

"You…" Amy growled. "You…you…!"

Sonic stood up straight and chuckled lightly. "Heh heh…You should see the look on your face! Priceless!"

Amy continuously glared at him, making the witnesses around them watch nervously while others fled the area out of fear. Sonic smirked.

"Don't look at me like that! I had to do something to shut you up!"

Amy growled again and raised her hammer like a baseball bat. Sonic raised his hands up.

"Geez, chill out already! You used to never get this angry over something as simple as a snowball. Besides, you hit me first! You had it coming!"

Amy's breathing began to slow down and she lowered her hammer. Her face softened as she continued to stare and the red began to fade away. Sonic grinned in triumph.

"Yeah, that's better!" He hopped off the car and walked over to her, confident that she wasn't going to take another swipe at him. "You do know that I'm just messing with you, right?"

Amy blinked. "You…were?"

Sonic laughed again. "Well, duh! You really thought I was serious? Man, it really has been a while!" Sonic stretched his legs and arms and straightened his jacket. "Of course I'll help out! This is the kind of stuff I live for! Who do you think I am? Knuckles or Shadow? No! You're talking to the blue dude with 'tude! Sonic the Hedgehog!"

Sonic placed his hands on his hips and waited for Amy's reply. She stared back with her mouth half open and remained that way for a while. She then dropped her hammer and threw herself onto Sonic with another tight hug. Sonic sighed and tried to pry her off of him but she wouldn't budge. He glanced around to see people still staring and he felt a bit embarrassed.

"Uh…Amy…you can let me go now."

She released him and looked at him with a smile. Sonic smirked back and started walking down the street with Amy following.

"So, you gonna tell me where those creatures are so I can give them a proper butt whooping?"

Amy nodded. "Well, there have been a lot of reports lately saying that they've been seen in the mountains east of the cities, but they all seem to be gathering out in the desert. At least, that's what's been said."

"Out in the desert, eh? Seems like a strange place for them."

"But that's also where Eggman's old base used to be. You know…the one with that shuttle we used? You don't think he's behind it all, do you?"

Sonic clicked his tongue. "Now there's a name I hadn't heard in forever! I doubt that lame brain would ever side with the Black Arms. Even if he would, there's no way the aliens would work for him. Come to think of it, what's he been up to anyway?"

Amy thought for a moment. "No one really knows. The last time he was in the news he was seen flying toward South Island, shortly after you left. He hasn't been seen since."

"Heh, maybe he had to unscramble some things, or perhaps he finally realized how much he sucks! Good riddance!"

Sonic let out a laugh and Amy joined him. They rounded another corner and headed down a more crowded street with shorter buildings lit up by bright neon lights. The hedgehogs gazed around at the pleasant sights, listening to the hustle and bustle of the people around them. Sonic's mind began to drift back to the name of his old home and the adventures and memories he had of the place. South Island…now there's a land he had not visited in an _eternity_.

His eyes began to drift upward toward the top of one of the taller shops nearby with strangely few lights on its walls. He ignored Amy as she began talking about each of the places on the street that she liked to go to, but he still smiled all the same. But then he suddenly came to a halt, and the smile vanished from his face instantly. He spotted something atop the shop he was gazing at. He narrowed his eyes at the strange shape, and his vision slowly focused on it. His heart froze and his eyes widened as far as they could go.

Standing on the edge of the dim building stood a dark silhouette of a figure, watching silently and unmoving. It remained there as if waiting for something, but Sonic could feel a pair of eyes looking straight at him. He blinked, and before him stood a mangled wreck of a small plane completely engulfed in flames. At the foot of the fire lay the body of a small two-tailed fox, cold and lifeless despite its proximity to the burning wreck. And standing above it all stood that figure atop a stone pillar, menacing and pleased by the sight. A voice called out to him, but it fell on deaf ears. The flames and the wreckage faded from view and he blinked slowly, but his eyes remained locked onto the silhouette.

"Sonic…?" Said Amy's voice. She stood next him, frowning. "Hey, whatcha lookin' at?"

Sonic didn't answer. He stood still, looking at the shape from the past. For a long time he stared at it, as it seemingly did the same. Suddenly the silhouette moved and vanished from sight, making Sonic's heart leap into his throat. Amy raised a concerned hand to place it on his shoulder, but the hedgehog dashed toward the shop without warning and soared up its wall toward the roof with breakneck speed. He ignored her cries and in a few seconds he reached the top and landed quickly, scanning the area around him. His eyes spotted something hopping from roof to roof to his right a good distance away and Sonic followed suit.

He maneuvered his way toward the silhouette, locking his eyes upon it though it was difficult to see with the night and the snow. He tried to chase it as quickly as he could but still maintained a sense of control so that he wouldn't make a mistake and fall back down. But the dark shape was surprisingly fast, leaping from building to building as gracefully and quickly as he was. But he wasn't about to let it get away, not this time. He curled into a ball in the middle of a jump and with a short burst of energy he jump dashed across the gap, closing the distance slightly. He did this repeatedly for the next few jumps and each time he got closer and closer. His eyes narrowed and his mind raced. He smirked slightly, thinking how futile the figure's efforts were, considering it was fleeing from the fastest thing alive.

However, just as he felt victory flood his body with only a few dozen feet between them, the figure escaped from sight as it leapt toward a roof lower than the building they were on. Sonic zipped to the other side and gazed down at the roof, but the figure had disappeared. Sonic glanced around, straining his ears and trying to detect movement in any direction but he couldn't find the figure. He leapt onto the roof in question to get a better look, quickly searching the outside of all the buildings surrounding him. He growled as second by second passed and he didn't see anything. It was as if the figure itself had vanished into the night and became a mere shadow of the city.

Sonic bared his teeth and crouched down to dash off again, but his ear caught a strange sound to his left, a bit like whistling. And just as he turned his head to investigate, something slammed and exploded on his head. A bright light flashed as Sonic's unconscious body was flung off of the roof from the blast, leaving a trail of smoke as he tumbled down to a quiet street below.


	3. A Fire Lit Anew

**Chapter Three: A Fire Lit Anew **

* * *

He was walking through a seemingly abandoned forest, gazing around at the sights and listening to the peaceful wildlife around him. He followed the dirt trail that traveled around and between the thick trunks of the trees and pushed aside the vegetation that littered the path. He wasn't entirely sure where he was going, but he enjoyed his stroll through the woods nonetheless. He spotted a few runic structures of the path to the sides and he had a feeling that he now knew where he was.

He suddenly heard a voice, a girl's voice, one that felt very familiar as if it had once guided him through his troubles on a previous adventure. It was calling his name, though he didn't know why someone would be looking for him in a place like this. He slowed his pace a little as her words became clearer and he listened. She was telling him to find someone, find him, as he had been looking for him. He frowned, unsure as to who 'he' was, but he still felt that he should do so regardless as she has yet to steer him in the wrong direction.

The path lead him to an opening in the forest and into a more open area. He stepped into the sunlight and shielded his eyes, blinking a few times to adjust to the brightness. Once he was able to see he moved forward and looked around, confused by the vast green field before him. He sighed, certain that he wasn't going to find what he was looking for out there but decided to search just in case. He took a step back, ready to dash at lightning speed, but he suddenly heard another voice behind him, a very familiar one…

"Sonic!" It shouted.

The hedgehog turned around back to the forest and his eyes widened. There standing at the path he emerged from was Tails, waving cheerfully at him with a bright smile. He smiled in return and ran over to him.

"Tails! There you are!" Sonic exclaimed and patted the fox's shoulder. "I've been looking everywhere for you! Where've you been?"

"I'm sorry, Sonic." He said. "It's just that this place is so huge! There's a lot to find here, and I think I saw something back in these woods and went looking for it."

"Nah, there's nothing to find in there!" Sonic reassured him. "The real adventure's out there!" Sonic pointed to the field behind him. "So what do you say, champ?"

Tails' ears lowered and he frowned. "Well, I really wanted to see what it was…"

"Aw come on! Just forget about it! Let's go!"

"Sonic…"

"Let's go!" Sonic said again and grabbed his wrist.

But just as he did, Tails screamed as his arm was suddenly engulfed with fire. Sonic let go instantly and stepped back, watching in horror as the flames completely covered his body. Tails cried in pain and collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony.

"Tails!" Sonic cried and started to panic. He searched left and right, trying to find something that could put out the flames but couldn't find anything. Tails screamed louder and reached out for Sonic, but the hedgehog stood frozen on the spot. The grass the fox twisted upon then caught on fire as well and the flames traveled to the sides, reaching the trunks of the surrounding trees. The hungry flames grew and grew; spreading throughout the woods and setting everything alight with its golden glow. The sky turned black as the flames stretched high toward it, and all around there was screaming, drowning out the voice of the crying fox before him.

"Sonic!" Cried the voice of a young girl.

Sonic looked down at his hands and nearly screamed himself. They were alit with fire as well, the same fire that was destroying the world before him, the same fire that was hurting his best friend, slowly killing him. But the flames didn't hurt him. Instead, it felt like the fire was coming _from_ his hands rather than simply covering them. He tried to shake them off but it only served to cause them to grow in size.

"Sonic! Help me!" Tails cried.

"Wake up, Sonic!" The girl's voice cried again.

Sonic gazed up at the constantly growing inferno, lighting up his widened eyes. His mouth hung open, his heart pounded in his throat, and his body shook uncontrollably as he could do nothing but watch and listen to the screaming that now rang in his ears. All around him people were calling his name, begging for him to help them. But he couldn't. He remained frozen on the spot, unable to help Tails, unable to help the burning woods, unable to help the people he swore to protect. He could only watch in horror as the fire he created quickly destroyed everything he ever knew. It was burning, burning, burning everything…

"Sonic, please wake up!" The girl cried again, shaking him repeatedly.

Sonic stirred, shaking his head left and right before finally opening an eye. He blinked several times, trying to clear his blurry vision. Someone had their hands on his shoulders and they stopped shaking him. He blinked again to see Amy Rose leaning over him, staring at him with fear in her eyes.

"Amy…?" He said weakly.

Her face immediately relaxed and she leaned back. "Whew! I thought you'd never wake up! It sounded like you were having a really bad dream there."

Sonic placed his hands over his face, trying to rub the sleep out of his eye. "Yeah…just a bad dream…"

He attempted to sit up, but as soon as he did a wave of pain washed over his head and upper body and moaned. His hand quickly went to his head and he felt the bandages that were wrapped around his head and covered his left eye. He patted his head and body, seeing that his jacket and ring were gone and finding more bandages on his chest and left shoulder, all feeling tender to the touch. He leaned back slightly on the bed he was on and glanced at Amy.

"What…happened?"

"I don't know." She said simply. "One moment we were walking together down the streets to go shopping and the next you take off running to the rooftops!"

"Right…shopping…"

"I followed you the best I could and I lost track of you. I looked everywhere in the district, but then I heard that explosion…"

The memory flashed in Sonic's eyes and they narrowed when the dark figure came into view. He pushed it out of his mind when Amy continued speaking.

"I checked it out and I found you in a pile of snow and you…you were…" Amy sniffed, and then she threw herself onto Sonic, making him cry from his wounds. "Oh, Sonic! I was so scared! I saw you lying there and you were hurt and I didn't know what to do and started crying…"

"Ah! Amy!"

"…and I've never seen you and such bad shape but I wanted to call for help but no one was around and I felt even more terrible…"

"Amy…ow…"

"…and I then I thought that I you were gone but you weren't and knew I had to help you so I managed to take you back to my place and I called the others but they wouldn't answer and… Oh, Sonic!"

"OW! AMY! GET OFF!" Sonic used a free hand and managed to shove her off of him despite his weakened state and her strong grip. She stared at him, catching her breath as she had been speaking very fast the entire time. Sonic rubbed his shoulder, trying his best to ease the new pain he now felt.

"I'm sorry…" Amy whimpered.

Sonic grunted. "Yeah…whatever. Just don't hug me or anything. That really didn't feel good…"

Sonic gazed down at the pink bed sheets over his lap and frowned. Hearts were dotted across the surface of the sheets and covered the walls that were surrounding him. Huge posters with Amy's likeliness hung in various places and on the furniture set up across the room. Sonic leaned over the side of the bed to see his own mug stitched on a large rug that covered most of the room. His face suddenly felt hot and he glanced at Amy with a raised eyebrow.

"Uh…Amy…is this your…?"

She smiled brightly as if waiting for him to ask. "Yep! Welcome to my humble little home!" She sat up and started twirling around, moving as if she were dancing with a partner, most likely an invisible Sonic. "Don't I have the best room ever? I think it suits me really well!"

"Yeah…quite…" Sonic grumbled, gazing around at the various shades of pink that assaulted his eyes. He looked at the rug again. "But…how did you get that rug with a picture of… You know what? Never mind. I don't wanna know…" A distant thought suddenly hit Sonic. "Wait…didn't you have a boyfriend or something the last time I saw you?"

Amy smirked in a way only she did. "Yeah…why?"

"You still dating him?"

Her smile widened. "…Maybe."

Something told Sonic that he would not be getting a straight answer, but continued nonetheless. "Then you might want to put that rug away. I can't imagine that he'd be too happy if he saw that…"

Amy shrugged him off. "Oh please, he's already seen it. Besides, is it wrong to have a picture of a world famous hero in your room?"

He couldn't argue with that logic. "I guess not…"

Amy giggled. "Well, since I couldn't get you to a hospital, I guess this means I'll be taking care of you! I'll show you that I can take care of you and earn your respect! I'll prove that I can take care of a hero, kinda like a loving bride…"

Sonic coughed and immediately whipped his feet over the side of the bed and quickly stood up, suddenly feeling unusually afraid of what has befallen him.

"Ah…yeah, that's great Amy! But I think I can manage now, thanks. So I'll be leaving now…"

The moment he had finished his sentence his head suddenly grew very heavy and the room shifted around him. He felt incredibly dizzy and fell back onto the bed behind him, holding his head with his hands. Amy rushed over to his side and held him up.

"Whoa there! You can hardly stand in the shape you're in! There's no way I'm letting you leave yet!"

Sonic shook his head and the dizziness with it. "Ah, what are you talking about? I'm fine! See? Watch…"

Sonic pushed Amy's arms off and attempted to stand again. He started running in place for a few moments, ignoring the pain that quickly flooded his body again. He jumped lightly a few times and then took a few steps forward, but the pounding in his head was too much and he fell forward, collapsing to the ground. Amy gasped and went over to him, placing a hand on his back. Sonic turned his head toward her, growling with annoyance as his body refused to work for him. He used his arms to lift himself up slightly.

"You…wouldn't happen to have one of those healing ring boxes or something, would you?"

Her eyes widened and she hoped up to her feet. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that? Be right back, Sonic!"

She dashed out of the room and Sonic could hear her footsteps moving down a flight of stairs and a door opening and slamming shut. He growled again, now annoyed that she didn't bother to help him back up. He slowly crawled his way back to the bed as to not agitate his wounds further and with a bit of effort he lifted himself back onto it. He leaned over the side with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. The pounding of his head continued to persist as he took several deep breaths.

He remained there for several minutes before his ears perked up at the sound of the front door opening again. At first he was surprised that Amy had already returned, but this time it sounded like there were more footsteps as if there were more than one person. He frowned as he listened to the light footsteps walk up the stairs, wondering who Amy could have brought with her. He hoped it was a doctor, as he _really_ didn't feel comfortable with the thought of Amy tending to his wounds. The tight bandages around his body were alone a miracle.

But it wasn't a doctor at all. A large blue creature with a red bowtie appeared in the door to the room followed by a small rabbit wearing a yellow jacket with a brown dress underneath, brown shoes and knee-high socks. Her very long ears hung to the sides, the hair on the back of her head was ruffled and long and her bright brown eyes quickly found the hedgehog. She was quickly followed by another rabbit that looked like an older version of her, wearing a white sweater and a long skirt with her ears tied behind her head.

"Mr. Sonic!" The smaller rabbit said with a high voice and came over to him.

"Cream?" Sonic replied. "Vanilla? Cheese? Well, what do you know? You've grown too! How're you guys doing?"

"We're good!"

The chao flew around Sonic's head exclaiming "Chao!" repeatedly. It then hovered down and settled on Sonic's knee. The hedgehog grinned and lightly patted his head.

"Good to see you too, Cheese!"

"How are you feeling, Sonic?" Vanilla asked with a soft voice.

Sonic sighed. "I've been better… But what are you guys doing here?"

"Amy called us a few days ago and said that you had finally come back, but you had got hurt…" Cream explained with sadness in her eyes. "I'm…really glad you're okay."

Sonic almost felt guilty with the way she looked at him. He remembered how she never liked seeing people sad or hurt, and over a year ago he was constantly both. She visited him often, even more so than Amy, and it always brought a warm feeling in his heart to see someone care even when he himself didn't. Though he may not always enjoy their company, he was always grateful to have friends like Amy and Cream. But a sudden thought struck him with dread.

"Wait…you said a few days ago?" He asked.

Vanilla nodded. "Yes. You've been unconscious for the last three days. Amy has been looking after you, with our help of course. You were in terrible shape…"

"The night Amy called…" Cream said softly. "She sounded like she was crying. She asked us to come over and we saw you… I felt scared…"

She lowered her head and her eyes were watery. Sonic stared at her, hoping that she wasn't about to do what he thought she was. He lifted a hand and raised her chin so that she looked at him and gave her an encouraging smile. He then patted her on the head and ruffled her short fur.

"Ah, don't worry about me, Cream! I'm fine now! I just got banged up a bit, that's all. It happens to everybody once in a while."

"But…I've never seen you that hurt before…not since Tails…"

Cream quickly covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes wide with shock. Sonic stared at her with narrowed eyes silently. He felt a ping of anger deep inside, but he pushed it away as he had time and time again. For several long moments all was quiet and no one moved, but then Sonic smiled again.

"Ah, don't worry about it." He said.

Sonic leaned back on the bed and Cheese took flight again, exploring the contents of Amy's room. He watched him with a smile, but soon his thoughts began to drift back to the memory he had told himself time and time again that he had put behind him. After over a month in limbo and a few words from an unexpected guest, he had finally moved on and began enjoying his life again. He ventured across lands old and new, taking in the sights and smells, picking up souvenirs and meeting new people. He was enjoying life again, but the thought always bothered him whenever it came to mind.

And then he spotted that figure. Somehow he knew it was the very same one he saw on that fateful night, and suddenly he felt something he had never felt before. He felt restless as its image played in his mind over and over and he wanted to chase after it even though it was beyond reach. He wanted to find out who or what that was, and why it has reappeared at this time. And if possible, to find out what in the world hit him a few days ago and brought him to this condition, though he had a nasty feeling the two were linked. He longed to leave this house and take off running after it, regardless if he knew where it was. But he wasn't going find the answers by spending his time recovering. Nothing was ever achieved by sitting around all day contemplating, leaving the only other option: to take action.

Sonic stood up with his mind set. Cream and Vanilla glanced at him and watched as he made his way to the door of the room.

"Where are you going, Mr. Sonic?" Cream asked.

Sonic stopped. "I have to go now. Thanks for what you guys have done, and tell Amy thanks too. But I have unfinished business elsewhere, and I aim to finish it."

"But you still don't look too good. You'll…you'll only get hurt again…"

Sonic turned his head toward her but didn't look at her directly. "I told you, I'm fine. Besides, you know me. I can't sit still for long before I get bored. I gotta keep moving and going forward or else nothin's gonna happen!"

"You should really consider staying a while longer." Vanilla insisted. "Amy may not look like it, but she really is good at taking care of others. And from what I see you aren't well enough to maneuver as fast as you like to."

Sonic waved her off. "A few scratches won't slow me down! So if you don't mind, I'll be off now. But I'll come back to visit you again. Promise!"

With that Sonic turned around and stepped toward the door, only to run into a rather annoyed looking Amy who stood with her hands on her hips. Sonic froze.

"And where do you think you're going, Mister?"

"Uh… When did you get back? Heh…"

Amy glared at him for several long minutes, bringing back that uncomfortable feeling he always got in her presence. He looked to the side, scratching the back of his bandaged ear. Amy waited for an answer and made it clear that she wouldn't move until she got one. Sonic sighed and turned back to her.

"Look, just let me pass…please?"

She remained where she was, shaking her head. "You're crazy if you think I'm letting you leave now."

"And you're crazy if you think you're gonna stop me." Sonic retorted. "I appreciate everything you've done and all, but I really gotta go. I don't have time to explain it, but –"

"Sure you do. You're still standing here after all, so why don't you start talking?"

"Because you wouldn't understand! And didn't you say that you were going to go get a ring box for me?"

Amy gazed down at her empty hands. "All the stores were out of them. Not to mention that they're a lot more expensive now…"

"Okay, so I'll just go now!"

Sonic tried to step around her but she held him back. Sonic growled.

"Oh no you don't! You're staying here even if I have to tie you to that bed!"

"Amy…move…"

"No!"

"Please?"

"Nope!"

"Seriously…move…"

"No way!"

"What if I give you a kiss?"

"I'm not…wait…what?"

Sonic blinked and frowned as his last question played back in his head. Suddenly he felt a wave of regret and his face grew very hot, but not from Amy's persistence. Amy gazed at him with wide eyes and her mouth hung slightly open, not believing what she had just heard like himself. Cream and Vanilla glanced at each other, not sure of what to say. Sonic hoped that she didn't hear what he said, but the increasingly coy look on her face made him nervous and rather fearful of what she would do now. Amy raised an eyebrow and held her chin as if considering his desperate offer and Sonic's face twisted at the thought. She looked him up and down before looking him straight in the eyes.

"Hmm…tough one…but no."

Sonic sighed, both relieved and unrelieved at the same time. "Come on! Why won't you let me go?"

"Sonic, you can barely stand, and –"

"For the last time, I'm fine!"

Amy frowned. "No Sonic…you're not…"

Sonic was about to argue further, but that last sentence sunk in deeper than it was probably meant to. He stared at the girl, wondering if she had seen something that even he had yet to recognize or if she meant something much simpler. He stood very still, breathing somewhat heavily and felt his heart beating hard in his chest. His gaze lowered and he patted the various bandages that covered him, feeling sharp stings of pain as he did so. His body ached badly and he felt less energetic than he usually did. The thought of him collapsing earlier came back to mind and he was still embarrassed by it. All his life he had pushed his body further than anyone deemed possible, welcoming the challenges that came with it. But his pounding head told him that he needed the rest. Suddenly he felt doubtful about himself and questioned whether he would be able maintain the high speeds he was used to without his body giving out on him. And if that were to happen, he would most likely lose even more time than he already had arguing with Amy as a result. He closed his eyes tightly from the strain of his decision, but the logical part of his mind told him it was the right thing to do, despite his heart telling him otherwise. He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly.

"Fine…you win…" He muttered.

Amy raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, what was that?"

Sonic didn't answer. Amy stepped closer to him, getting within inches of his face.

The blue hedgehog threw his hands into the air. "Alright! Alright! I'll stay for a few days. But as soon as I get better I'm le –"

Amy squealed loudly, piecing Sonic's ears and intensifying his headache. She embraced him tightly, swinging him back and forth gratefully and rubbing her cheek against his.

"Oh, Sonic! I knew a part of you could be reasoned with! Don't worry; I'll take good care of you! Oh I've been waiting forever for this moment! You won't regret it, I promise!"

But already Sonic felt regretful of his choice. Amy continued to hold him tightly despite his cries of pain and pleas for her to release him. Cream watched them nervously, Cheese flew over their heads happily and Vanilla merely giggled to herself. Sonic moaned as he hung limply in Amy's grasp. It was going to be a _long_ few days…


	4. Hunters

**Chapter 4: Hunters**

* * *

It was another cold night in the desert. It was strange how the temperature could change as quickly and easily as flipping a coin, but it had become nothing more than a natural phenomenon for its current inhabitants. The sky had remained clear for the last few days since the storm had passed, making navigation much easier. It was still as dangerous as ever with the shifting sands and unstable structures that were the only safe areas, but for certain individuals that danger was always at an all-time high.

A lone figure stood outside the parameter of a small military base that had recently formed. He watched the activity from the base silently; constantly checking his surroundings to make sure his presence remained unknown. The dunes provided good cover from the eyes of the base, but he was still vulnerable from above and behind. He needed to stay alert and keep his senses heightened. His ears twitched at the sound of an incoming chopper from behind him and he immediately dove to the ground, turning his head to see its lights soar quickly over his head and slow down until it reached the base. It descended and landed on the inside of one of the gates of the high wired fence, releasing a handful of soldiers before its engines died down and remained on the helipad.

Shadow the Hedgehog rose to his feet, blinking his heavy red eyes and brushing the sand off of the white fur on his chest. His eyes drifted back and forth, scanning the area for any stray guards. He looked beyond the high wired fences at the large camp that had formed around a crumbling pyramid, one that had a familiar symbol etched into its surface; Dr. Robotnik's symbol. He was surprised at how quickly G.U.N. had arrived on the scene, deciding that they were most certainly more competent than he remembered them being. He knew about this base from various news reports, though none of them revealed the exact location of it. With little effort Shadow was able to find the base, as G.U.N wasn't the most subtle of organizations. He still found it puzzling that they had decided to invade Robotnik's domain now as that battle had ended long ago. And since he had not been seen or heard of in over a year, an attack on one of his bases was nothing less than stupidity on their part.

However, if all the reports had any truth to them…

Shadow scoffed at the thought. He refused to believe that the Black Arms had been responsible for all the recent attacks across the world. He had seen to it personally that they would remain nothing more than a memory to everyone, and to think that all of that effort had gone to waste went beyond infuriation. He knew better than to believe the news upon first glance, but the reports persisted and his pride and heart could no longer allow him to stand idly by. While staying out of the public eye, he visited one of the destroyed areas to see for himself, but found nothing to link the carnage to the aliens. There were no weapons, no energy signals, not even a scent of the blood that they shared. It relieved him, but he still felt a sense of uneasiness. His own investigation left few conclusions; either he was not getting there in time to catch the Black Arms, or it is just another one of the media's lies. His own personal experiences had him leaning toward the latter.

Unless…it was something else entirely that was responsible…

Shadow growled angrily, clenching his fists and sending a shot of pain throughout his right arm. He lifted his left hand and placed it over his right arm, where large amounts of crimson trailed down from open wounds on his shoulder and forearm and soaked his gloves. He gripped the wounds tightly, causing more dark blood to ooze out of it as it started to throb. His face twisted, but more out of rage than pain. He still could not decide whether it was the fact that he allowed himself to be injured so easily, or if it was the cause of the wound that angered him more. Nevertheless, he had gotten used to the feeling and he would not allow a mere flesh wound to hinder him, not when there was so much at stake.

He pushed the pain out of his mind and body and returned his focus on the pyramid. It worked in his favor for once that the majority of G.U.N's forces were focused on the pyramid as it would make it easier to navigate through the desert. He sniffed, mentally laughing at the bustling hive of their forces as past battles surged through his memory. He then straightened his face and resolve, having decided that he had spent enough time surveying the base. If he was going to accomplish his goals, he needed to press onward with his hunt quickly as he could feel the claws of time constricting around him with every passing hour.

But with his first step, his ears perked up to the sound of someone shouting a great distance away to his right. His eyes immediately darted in the direction of the sound and he felt his heart jolt and his body tense up. Although it was dark, Shadow's keen vision could just make out the silhouette of someone with green glowing eyes. The eyes shifted back to the base and within milliseconds his vision was blinded by white light. Shadow shielded his face from the searchlight and heard more distant shouts. He cursed and quickly took off to the left, gliding across the sand swiftly as the searchlight attempted to follow him in vain. He swerved in and out of stone structures and pillars, his mind racing as fast as his movements. He leaped onto the top of a collapsed wall and stole a glance back at the base, discovering that a swarm of seeking robots had been deployed and were sailing toward him at a rapid pace. He cursed again, having not taken G.U.N.'s persistence into account until now. He leaped down from the wall and dashed off toward the larger structures still standing in the desert.

Shadow glanced behind him to see that the swarms of G.U.N. robots were quickly catching up to him. He huffed in annoyance, for he knew that if they were in any other location he could easily outrun them. But with the various pools of quicksand and fiery traps that were still functional, navigation was still somewhat difficult. With every jump and crumbling rock he could hear the hum of the robots closing in. He looked forward and could see his destination leagues away, but he would need to draw his unwanted attention away in order to avoid suspicion. With reluctance he deviated from his path and skated down a bridge alit with torches. He ran along walls, knocked down others, made abrupt direction changes and zoomed through narrow spaces, but he only managed to shake off a few of his pursers. Shadow scoffed at the inevitable as he felt the robots' presence become too close for comfort. He steered toward an incline of stone and increased his speed as the golden glow from his shoes intensified. He leaped high into the air off of the incline, spun through the air and landed cleanly on top of a G.U.N. Hawk. He threw a punch through its armor, damaging its circuitry and kicked off of the robot as it crashed into the ground. He landed on the ground and continued skating as several more Hawks and a bomb-equipped Hornet surrounded him.

The Hornet fired a bomb that homed in on him, but Shadow quickly dodged the explosion as one of the Hawks fired its lasers. Shadow jumped and twisted his body as the continuous laser shots streaked past him, missing by mere inches. He ricocheted off a column, curled into a tight ball and with a burst of energy, struck three Hawks one after another with crushing blows that sent each exploding into mangled scraps of metal. He landed and skated down another stone walkway with the Hornet and four Hawks soaring in his wake. The Hawks opened fire and Shadow weaved back and forth to avoid their lasers. The Hawks moved into different positions in the hope to land a shot, but the black hedgehog was too agile as the lasers only hit rocks and sand. The Hornet launched another bomb that zeroed in on Shadow, but with a fluid motion he spun around and delivered a swift energy-powered kick to the bomb, sending it flying toward a Hawk and destroying it in an explosion. Shadow landed on the ground and immediately leaped back into the air and onto one of the remaining Hawks, gripping it tightly. He flipped over to its side and threw a powerful kick, sending the Hawk flying toward another and they both blew to pieces. The Hornet and surviving Hawk then launched a barrage of attacks, sailing left and right firing bombs and lasers simultaneously. Shadow swiftly dodged them all by rolling and jumping around the path. The instant there was a lull in their attacks for them to reload their weapons, Shadow spun around and while skating backward, he raised his left open hand and coursed raw energy until his hand began to glow. He then swung his hand, flinging arrows of light at the robots. In a blink of an eye they connected and the robots were sailing through the air in a tumbling, fiery crash. Shadow smirked and spun back around, only to come to a skidding and abrupt halt.

A small squadron of Hunter walker robots and a larger Big Foot walker fell down and landed on the open ground ahead. A few seconds later more shield wielding Hunters appeared behind Shadow, completely surrounding him. He growled loudly at this second setback, knowing that he had already wasted more than enough time and energy and would now have to spend more of both precious commodities. He gazed around at the robots and then at the Big Foot in front him, noticing that instead of a pilot in the cockpit there were complex machines and circuitry instead. Luckily, the walker and the robots did not appear to have any cameras, but that seemed to be the only good thing in the current situation. The Hunters then each raised their arm mounted canons and opened fire as one, engulfing the black hedgehog in a cloud of dirt and debris. For nearly a minute they continuously fired and the cloud of debris grew, shattering the normally peaceful landscape with their gunfire. Then they suddenly ceased and lowered their arms, watching the cloud intently and unmoving. As the scattered rocks settled and the dust began to clear, a deep red glow appeared in the center of the cloud. Shadow stood defiant and unharmed, his entire body bathed in a bright red aura. He curled his arms and bent his knees, channeling his strength throughout his body as his aura intensified. The Hunters and Big Foot raised their weapons, but did not manage to fire another shot. With a blood-curdling roar, Shadow released his harnessed energy, sending out a wave of destructive force in a wide radius. The G.U.N. robots were all tossed aside like trash, along with slabs of stone and sand. The energy then quickly dissipated and Shadow fell to one knee as exhaustion took over him.

He groaned and gripped his injured arm, relieved that the wounds were not severe enough to leave a trail. Walls and columns crumbled and collapsed nearby and he glanced around, disappointed at how damaging his attack was. Something then moved ahead and he saw that the Big Foot was still functioning, trying its hardest to aim its missile launchers at him despite its heavily damaged frame. Shadow clicked his tongue, quickly studied what was left of the environment and spotted a column nearby on the verge of toppling over. He then threw a bolt of energy at the bottom of the column, blasting off a large chunk of its base. It slowly began to lean over toward the Big Foot as rocks cracked and fell off of its surface. The Big Foot then ceased its struggle as the column fell onto it with a thunderous crash.

Shadow took a deep breath, trying his best to ignore the pain in his right arm that was now constantly flaring up like a campfire. He strained his senses and could not feel the presence of any other robots, but his body felt as tense as ever. It bothered him that they could track his movements so quickly and efficiently, and even more so that they were not hesitant to attack him. Normally they would scan and observe their targets to ensure that they were actually threats, but such was not the case with these ones. Did G.U.N. modify their programming to attack anything that moved out in the desert? Or perhaps they were programmed to attack _specific_ targets? The latter bothered him more, and once again his mind fell back onto the rumors about the Black Arms. If what his instincts told him were true, he was in more danger than ever as his connection to the alien race had now placed a crosshair on his back. Keeping a low profile seemed nearly impossible, but all the more necessary if he was going to find what he was looking for.

He stared into the distance and quickly found his destination; the tall silhouette of a group of pyramids that loomed over all other structures in the desert. He grunted as he felt his already sensitive temperament shifting again upon realizing how far off track the G.U.N. robots had pushed him. Not only that, but the energy he used for his Chaos Blast had likely set off a few alarms back at the base as he knew that they had technology that could detect energy signals. He then thought about using his natural ability of Chaos Control, but that would likely set off signals as well, and he hardly had enough energy to use it effectively, let alone enough to cover the large distance to his destination.

He cursed loudly at himself. If only he still possessed that chaos emerald…

Left with only one choice, Shadow took off running, leaping over obstacles and avoiding quicksand, trying to limit his movements so that he traveled in a straight line and kept the use of his right arm and energy to a minimum. The darkness of the desert did not help, so he made use of the alit torches and stone paths when he could to make navigation easier. All the while he still could not shake the feeling that he was being followed, but decided to ignore it to prevent himself from slowing down and focused on his mission. After what seemed like well over an hour or so, he arrived at the long bridge that led to the largest pyramid in the desert, surrounded by broken and abandoned machinery and towers, all bearing the familiar "Eggman" symbol. He quickly noticed how some of it emitted a slight glow while other parts of machinery were slowly moving, meaning that the good Doctor's old base of operations still had power, though not a lot. Luckily, none of his robotic minions appeared to be present and the base's automatic defense systems were offline as he really did not want to engage in another battle in his weakened state. He dashed down the long bridge, jumping over debris and rocks that had fallen onto the bridge over the last year. He slowed down to a light glide, then a jog, and then to a walk as he approached the large metallic door. He took a quick glance around him, and when his senses detected no disturbances, he walked over to the glowing control panel with a dial pad and screen.

He then scratched his chin in thought, trying to remember the door's complex password. After a few moments the memory came back and he raised a hand up to the panel. But as he did, his ear twitched as it picked up a cracking rock behind him to the left. He immediately spun around and threw a bolt of energy at the nearby wall where the sound came from, blasting chunks of stone off of the top. He waited for a few seconds, baring his sharp fangs and keeping his fists raised, ready for a fight even though his body refused to endure one. His eyes scanned quickly back and forth, hoping that his instincts were not fooling him once again. For several minutes nothing moved and Shadow let his guard down. He breathed a heavy sigh, but he felt the farthest from relaxed. He turned back around and quickly punched in the required password. The screen flashed green and the heavy door rose up quickly. Shadow grunted, satisfied that the Doctor had not changed the password since it was last used. He moved forward and as soon as he was clear of the doorway he hit a red button on the side, slamming the door shut behind him with a loud _thud_.

Like the desert it was dimly lit inside with the only light emanating from the emergency lights and the floor panels. Prodding his memory again, he made his way down the numerous rooms and hallways toward the desired one while keeping an eye on the stationary robots left behind to ensure none of them suddenly regained their life. After more navigation and many long minutes, Shadow had finally arrived at his destination: the large computer room where Dr. Robotnik had conducted his schemes involving the space colony ARK over a year ago. Out of all the rooms in the base this one still had most of its power and all of the computers and devices were still intact and functioning. He looked to the left to see the large teleportation pad that was linked to the ARK, though it appeared to be off. He walked over to the center computer and quickly went to work, stroking a few keys to bring up yet another password screen on the large holographic monitor. He entered a different and much shorter password and the computer accepted it, bringing him to the desktop. Shadow frowned, immediately noticing that something was wrong as there were hardly any icons displayed. He pressed multiple keys, fumbling through menus and screens as he dove deeper into the computer's hard drive. He began to sweat and his heart pounded in his chest as he turned up empty-handed with each folder he searched. Frustrated, he stopped his search momentarily and scrolled through the computer logs and active history.

He felt himself freeze and his glazed eyes widen at his findings.

Everything, from word documents to program files, had been wiped completely from the system, including all backup files. He rapidly tapped the keys and scrolled around using the touchpad hoping that he simply missed a folder or overlooked something, but what his mind denied was clearly displayed on the monitor; everything, including the utmost important thing that he needed, was gone.

Shadow slowly stood up and stepped back. After all of the time and effort he had spent in the last several long weeks, he had come all this way for nothing. He growled and slammed his fists into the keyboard, destroying several buttons and sending a few sparks flying. He then sunk to his knees and held his arm, gripping it tightly as flecks of pain shot through it. He felt dizzy and sick and he tried to steady his ragged breathing with little success. He held his head, refusing to admit this apparent failure. No…there still had to be somewhere else he could look, something he had missed that he just could not see. There had to be! Everything depended on that vital information, and he could not, _would_ not rest until he found it. Maria would not want him to give up, for if he did, he would be throwing away everything he had fought for up to this point. If anything, he would keep that promise…no matter what.

He leaned back and turned to his left, his eyes settling on the silent teleportation pad. For several minutes he simply stared at it without blinking when suddenly a thought crossed his mind and his eyes widened. He stood up and went to the left computer console closest to the pad. He rapidly typed the keys and within minutes the teleportation pad began to hum and glow, showing all signs of activation. Shadow then typed in the only option on the list of destinations and pressed enter to confirm. The pad hummed louder and Shadow walked over to the panel connected to the pad. He pressed the green button and stepped onto the pad as the glowing intensified. He lifted his head up toward the high ceiling as electric rings rose up from the edges of the pad, their ascent quickening and numbers increasing by the second. Shadow's face hardened with fierce determination. There was no turning back now. He _will_ get that information, and he _will_ get to the bottom of this entire mess…no matter what the cost.

"I'll find you…" He hissed softly.

Shadow was then engulfed by stunning light as he was taken aboard the space colony ARK. The teleportation pad then died down, leaving no trace of his presence behind.

* * *

Outside of the entrance to the pyramid base, a lone figure was leaning against the recently blasted wall. She held her bare left shoulder, where there was now an intense burn that stung horribly but left no mark. Having once again narrowly escaped detection, she marveled at her incredible luck thus far, but now she felt as if she were pushing it too far and that the next mistake could be her last.

Rouge the Bat tilted her head back against the wall, clutching her chest and felt her heart fluttering. She was panting heavily, and although the air was cool and felt lovely, she was still sticky with sweat and her dark bodysuit clung to her curvy body uncomfortably. But whether this reaction was from her chase or her brush with death she could not decide. She turned her head to the right and scoffed. The nerve! How _dare_ he try to attack her! It was bad enough that he made her follow him across the desert, and then that happens! After everything they've been through, he nearly killed her without as much as a thought, lashing out like a caged creature. What in the world could be wrong with that hedgehog? She paced back and forth, huffing and blurting out incoherent rants about men and idiots. She had not been this aggravated in a long time and she almost wanted to leave and forget this whole ordeal all together.

Almost…

But something kept her from simply walking away. She was out here in the middle of the desert by the entrance to the Doctor's base instead of in her cozy apartment or her lively club for a reason. She had sacrificed her precious leisure time to follow Shadow to this once important place, but for what? She took a few deep breaths and peeked out from around the wall. The door was shut tight, but if Shadow was able to get in so easily, she knew without a doubt that she could too. She stared at the door for a long time. What could be within this old base that was important enough to return to after so long? Whatever it was, it was important enough for him to risk his health (yet again) and that not even G.U.N. could dissuade him from his objective. But then again, the organization could never achieve such a feat in regards to him. She knew that it must have been a personal goal as he had not been seen by the public eye for over a year or made any contact with anyone…_specifically_ her. That bothered her more than she would ever admit. But Shadow was always a lone wolf, even when they worked together. It would be best if she did not interfere in any way.

And yet…she was so familiar with the hedgehog and his methods; his strength, his brashness, his stubbornness…and his determination. It seemed like there was always something going on with him. Their past relationship burned in her mind and she could not help but feel a rising curiosity like a long lost passion. Wherever Shadow went, there was always action and mystery, two things she lived her life by. Her conscious wrestled with itself on the decision as she moved out from the cover of the stone wall.

"Shadow…" she whispered. "What are you up to…?"


End file.
